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Restoration of parkland glory planned

A THREE-year project will take place to restore historic parkland to its original glory.

The National Trust will clear trees at Farnborough Hall, near Banbury, to recreate the landscape that architect William Holbrech II created in the 18th century.

The ferme ornée, or ornamental farm as it is known in English, was popular in landscape design in the 1700s and championed by French aristocrats including French queen Marie Antoinette.

It involved creating parkland with ornamental hedgerows and shrubbery and a working farm.

Julie Smith, general manager at Farnborough Hall, said: “The ferme ornée is now a rare landscape, as changing fashions meant that the original designs of many country estates were planted over and recreated.

“At Farnborough Hall many of the picturesque views that were designed to be seen from the house or other areas of the parkland have been lost over the centuries.

“It is, though, fairly easy to recreate the landscape as it was recorded on the first map of the estate in 1772.”

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